


Where are the Rings?

by Gemstarzah, Hakeber



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Beheading, Furious Elrond, Sauron seeks the rings, Torture, Wood Elves dont let animals suffer, elves being called beasts, humans don't realise they stink, insults given by most parties
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-10
Updated: 2015-12-21
Packaged: 2018-05-06 01:53:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5398397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gemstarzah/pseuds/Gemstarzah, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hakeber/pseuds/Hakeber
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A trio of elves sent to tell Thranduil that Legolas has gone with the Ring Bearer gets ambushed by some Black Numenorions seeking information on the One Ring. Will the survivor of the ambush be saved before it is to late?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Ambushed

**Author's Note:**

> Celecuguiel, Elrond, Elladan, Glorfindel are Caleneryn's. All others are Hakeber's characters

It was not long after the Company that would head for Mordor had left, that Celecuguiel had been summoned to Elrond’s chambers. That had been three weeks ago, and now, she was approaching the Anduien, on a mission to inform King Thranduil of the whereabouts of his son. In her youth she had been a friend of the Mirkwood Prince, and while now she did not dwell in Mirkwood where she belonged, she still retained that friendship.

_Thranduil will not be pleased._

She understood of course, why she had been the one chose to deal with this task. Aside from Elrond’s sons, she knew the way to Mirkwood well. She knew how to read the forest too, which was also a bonus.

 As they drew up onto a small hill, with trees around them, the group of three elves set up their campsite, and decided, after eating, to get some rest. They would make an early start in the morning, with the hopes of reaching the Carrock by nightfall.

Before she went to sleep, Celecuguiel asked the trees to keep watch, and to warn her if there was danger coming. She knew they would

Sephran and his men surrounded the hill and slowly climbed, almost as silent as elves themselves. They'd been tracking them for weeks and quite frankly, he was growing tired if it. Stalking like some animal was for beasts and elves. He enjoyed the hands on approach, the feel of dirt and blood under his fingernails. The thought made him smile a bit.

_Tonight._

It was time. He watched the elves relax and rest, in the strange manner that always made filled him with disgust. Every elf he had ever killed for his master, all had strange ways that constantly showed they were not people, no matter how much they tried to act like they were. They were fair faced creatures and to him, more creature than the orcs in his master's employ.

He allowed himself a silent laugh. No matter how beautiful and proud they seemed, all elves screamed and cried like animals in the end. He enjoyed breaking them, bringing out the creature he knew to be lurking. Sephran motioned to the others around him to move in. There were six in all, seven including him. All trained to be silent, even to a group of elves. They lifted their blades and bows and quietly burst through the trees, until they were mere inches from the resting elves.

 "Time to wake, little beasts."

 His voice was harsh, yet quiet, almost lilting in a way.

 Only a wood elf would have realised there were others coming toward them, and that they were not friends. The trees communicated in their own ways, and been one of the wood elves, Celecuguiel understood them. As soon as one emitted a certain smell, she was awake, glaring at the shapes coming toward herself, and her companions.

“What does a group of men think they are doing, coming uninvited to our campsite?” 

There was something about them that bothered her, and she knew what was… Black Numenorions, Sauron’s pets.

Her hand reached for her sword, they were too close for the short bow.

Sephran grinned and made a mock sign of greeting with one of his blades. "We thought you might be lonely, little beasts. You see, I am a friendly man and like greeting all the animals who come into this land."

He made a small sign with his hand and without warning, one of the men next to him threw a dagger at one of the other elves, who was just starting to waken. The ellon called out in pain and staggered back to the delight and laughter of those surrounding them. The other woke with a start and drew his blade, only to have one of the men smash him from behind hard on the head, causing him to crumple forward. Sephran looked back over at Celecuguiel.

"We only want you, little beast. The other animals are just burdens."

“Too bad you didn’t sneak up on me as well as you thought you had!” She was quite well prepared for a fight, she’d risen to her feet by now, sword ready in her hand. “I don’t see why you’d want me, but I am no beast.” 

Sephran shrugged. "The master wants information you have. I'm just here for the art of it all."

Yes art. The art of extracting information, of slowly breaking the will of another.

"And yes elf, you are a beast."

The men converged on her, wielding bows and blades. They struck out in places that would incapacitate but not do any lasting harm. That would come later. 

Even though she knew she was outnumbered in this fight, she did manage to wound a good number of the men that were attacking her. Even one elf was still lethal with bow or sword, and she knew at least two of the men would die from the places she’d wounded them.

It was not an easy fight, but she would be alright, so long as she kept her wits about her. “You’ll learn nothing from me, mortal, other than what a mistake it is to take on a wood elf!” 

"All elves are the same to me."

Sephran joined in the fight, angry that this one little beast had wounded so many of his men. She'd pay for that. He pulled out a throwing knife, a small let thick blade with a serrated edge and a barb at the front to make pulling it free difficult and painful, and tossed it at the elf's leg. He readied another one, while the men still standing continued to fight. 

Celecuguiel dodged the knife. He’d have to do better than that. Now that her battle ire had been awoken, these men were in for quite the struggle if they wished to apprehend her. She kept on fighting, making sure to keep the fool who’d caused this trouble in the first place in her sight as she did.

“You should never have killed my friend.” 

"Your friend was just another animal like you." 

He made a motion, a quick move of his hand and several of the men still fighting bent down and charged at her legs. Sephran brought his hand to a pouch on his neck. It was nearing time to use his secret weapon. The fight was going too poorly for his tastes. He could not let this one go.

 Yet again, she managed to dodge, knocking some of the men down as she did with her sword. She refused to give in even so. “He was a good person, better than any of you, servant of Sauron!”

 "Don't say my master's name like it is an insult. Sauron's name should be spoke with respect."

Sephran withdrew a small ball of herbs from his pack. It was a special plant, rare in its ability to send an elf into a deep sleep. He hated using it, as it felt like cheating. But, he was running out of men and options. Sephran crushed it in his fist, sending out a pungent scent like that of a rotted orange. He then tossed the ball onto the ground in front of Celecuguiel, where the dust flew up in a cloud.

"Let's see you dodge that, little beast."

“He’s a monster, who will never return to power,” Celecuguiel retorted. She managed to dispatch two of the other remaining men, before coughing. _What is that smell?_ Before she could work out where it was coming from, she fainted, sword falling from her hand as she fell backwards.

By the time Celecuguiel went down, only two of Sephran's men remained standing, with three of them beyond help. He motioned those injured to help the more injured back down the hill, while the two uninjured gathered around the elf. Sephran pulled out two pieces of strong yet thin and flexible rope from his pack and went to work binding the elf's hands behind her back. Then he bound her legs, but crossed her ankles, so that even if she managed to try and stand later, she would only be standing on one foot and slightly at an angle.

"Sleep well, little elf." 

He picked her up and carried her back down the hill to the horses, slinging her over the back of his like a pack. Once everyone was secured on a horse, including those dead the vile beast had slain, they started off back toward the deep cavern they used as a camp. The cave entrance seemed like a mere crack in the wall, wide enough to only allow one horse at a time. The deeper they went, the wider it slowly became, until the path bent downwards into the earth. 

The main cavern was lit with several torches that lined the wall in brass sconces. The cavern was deep enough that the light did not reach the entrance up ahead, which suited their purposes perfectly. There were several tents sent further into the cavern, with space in the center for any prisoners, dug two feet down so that anyone place inside while bound would have a nearly impossible time getting out, but others could just leap out and in at will.

* * *

 Sephran pulled the elf from his horse, as one of the men who had stayed behind led it and the others deeper inside for treatment and to deal with the dead. He placed her in the hole and stepped back, watching her, waiting for her to wake.

 When she woke, she did not open her eyes at once, no she simply lay there, working out what had happened since she’d fainted. She knew of course, that she wouldn’t have been left where she’d fallen. That was quite unlikely considering how many of the men she’d slain before that happened.

She was aware that she was lying on her hands, and that she could not move them, nor part her feet. _Tied up then…_ Too bad they’d get no information from her. She would rather end up in Namo’s Halls than betray Lord Elrond.

 Sephran noticed she was starting to stir and stepped down into the hole. He knelt down and tapped her shoulder. "Time to wake little beast."

 He smiled and leaned back slightly. He always loved when a prisoner first awoke. They never had any idea what was in store for them.

 When those green eyes opened, they were fierce, defiant. “You won’t be learning anything from me!”

 Sephran shrugged. "Either way, I'm happy. Getting information is my job. Making you talk is my art."

He sat back, completely at ease. Sephran always like to start this way, not with a heavy hand, but waiting. It was useful in putting his captives ill at ease, as they wondered why he was waiting and what he had in store.

 “Feel free to try but I’d sooner die than betray those counting on me, you fool.” There was no chance she was going to give him anything. If he thought that he could psych her out by making her wait, guess again.

 "Death? I won't grant you death. At least not yet." He pulled a dagger from his belt and set it aside on the top of the the hole near the edge. For later. He motioned another man up top and he handed him a wooden bucket filled with water.

 He grabbed Celecuguiel by the arms and lifted her up, then dunked her head fully in the water. He held it under for a specific count. He'd captured elves before and knew how long they could hold their breath.

"I thought you might need a bath, little beast," he said when he finally pulled her back up.

 _Fool, you don’t have to… I can choose to fade if things get too much for me._ He wouldn’t be able to control that, no. There was no way to stop an elf from fading… not even love had helped when it came to Elrond’s mate. Celebrian could only be helped by having her sail.

She coughed a few times when she managed to get some air back in again. “No, I don’t need one, thanks.”

"I think you do. All beasts need a bath." He plunged her head back in. With all the elves he's tortured over the years, he still didn't get them. That's why he enjoyed this so much. Elves were a mystery and he didn't like mysteries.

He pulled her up once again. "You know this isn't part of the interrogation, right? This is just for fun."

She gave a dry laugh. “Now that I don’t believe. Besides… its you who needs a bath, not me! Smelt yourself lately?”

Sephran's eyes narrowed and he pulled hard at a clump of Celecuguiel's hair. "What did you just say to me? I smell as one should, not like a beast trying to cover their animal nature is fresh soap."

Celecuguiel laughed, not reacting to the pulling on her scalp. “Personally… I think you stink!”

"And I think you smell like an animal someone grooms and keeps as a pet!"

Sephran picked up a handful of dirt and tossed it in Celecuguiel's hair. "You need more dirt on you, little beast.

“At least some of us, unlike you have some sense of hygiene! Even the Rangers have a better sense of it than you, Black Numenorion.” She ignored his dirt throwing.

"I bathe when it's the right thing to do, animal." Sephran ran his fingers through Celecuguiel's hair, massaging in the dirt. "You cannot stalk your prey smelling like a man. You have to smell like the wilds around you. As for you... It is an affront that you should have any sort of hygiene. Hygiene is for men, not beasts."

“As I said, I’m an elf, not a beast,” Celecuguiel replied, before shaking her head, hard, sending the dirt flying out once more. “I find I can stalk my prey fine enough without smelling like something died on me, as you do!”

"Something did die on me." Sephram grinned. "Each beast I kill, I add a bit of their blood to my scent. It's an old hunting trick to further hide one's scent. Take a deeper breath beast, and yes, that's what you are... and tell me what you smell." The scent on him was the smell of elf blood, old and new.

“I don’t need a deep breath to know what you smell of,” she replied. “I already know you like killing my kin, so why should I draw attention to that fact?” She spat at him.

Sephran wiped the spit from his face and wiped a bit of the more current blood from his shirt and spread it on her lips. "But I want to call your attention to it. It's such a fine way to honor the death of a beast, don't you think?"

“Perhaps for orcs it might be a good way, but not to an elf!

"Orcs are a wonderful beast." Sephran wiped more blood on Celecuguiel lips, making sure to get some inside her mouth as well. "They know they're a beast, unlike elves."

She spat it straight back out. “He really has made you less of a man you could have been, hasn’t he.”

Sephran glared at her. That hit him in a part of him he'd rather not acknowledge, the part that still had a hint of life untouched by Sauron. It made the rest of him rear up and become much more dangerous. "You're right, but that's fine with me. Want to know why? I am more than a man now."

He brought her face to his and stared deep into her eyes. His own were gray and bloodshot, with a cold darkness that seemed to reach deep into his pupils.

 "I'll bet you're still nothing to him compared to his precious Nazgul," she replied.

 "I may not be as important as important as them, but I play a role and I play it well." Sephram patted her on the head. "A beast like you wouldn't understand."

 "Not a good one," she replied. "Underdog."

 Sephran gripped her hair. "Oh, you think so? Well, why don't we see?"

 He reached up and grabbed the knife, but didn't brandish it just yet. "Now, there are many ways to make one talk, some more interesting than others. What shall we try first, little beast?"

 He took the knife and ran it along the length of her thigh, causing a fairly deep wound. He smiled as he gathered a handful of dirt and pebbles from the ground, then packed them inside like one packing gauze, then proceeded to pull a needle and thread from a pouch on his belt and sewed the wound back up. "I might open that up and clean it for you... If you're good."

 He patted the wound. "So, care to tell me anything about the minor rings of power, where they happen to be? Or the One Ring? Sauron knows a hobbit has it. Where is this hobbit?"

 She flinched this time. “Hobbit? Don’t they live in the Shire? The last one I saw where I came from was about fifty years ago. As for the Ring…. It’s still lost.”

 Sephran pressed his fingers into the wound. "I know you're lying. Tell me where the halflling is."

 “Well, I havent seen the hobbit, whoever it is.” In truth she hadn’t actually seen Frodo in Rivendell.

 " _The_ hobbit? So you do know who I'm referring to!"

Sephran picked up the knife again. "Even if you haven't seen him, you must know where he is."

He tapped the hilt on his chin and thought about what to do next. This was a strong beast. He'd have to get more creative.

 “I don’t know anything,” she replied. “I don’t know where he is or if he even passed through where my home is.”

 "Then how about the minor rings? If you don't know where he is, or where the One Ring is, what about them?"

 Sephran took the knife and cut back into the pocket he made in her leg, but with a new cut, leaving the other part still sewn. He stuffed more pebbles and dirt inside and a bit of salt from another pouch on his belt. He sewed this new cut back up, slowly.

"There are so many things that can go into a wound."

 Sephran pulled out a small yellow mouse the size of his palm and held it gently in his fingers.

 "This little things are quite hungry, sort of like a hobbit. If you don't start answering my questions, he's going in the wound as well."

 “Why are you asking about them? What interest does he have in a bunch of Rings that I know nothing about? Sure everyone knows about the One, but the others?” She wasn’t exactly defying him, but she did want to know. That second cut hurt a bit more.

 “That is not for you to know, little beast. You are here to give information, not take it. The rings are my masters, all of them and if he wants them, he shall have them."

 Honestly, Sephran didn't know why Sauron wanted them. That wasn't part of his job.  
He held the knife in one hand and the mouse in the other. "Are you willing to answer me?"

 “one bite from him, and he’s dead as well,” she told him. “That won’t work on me.” She paused. “Lets see… the Nine he has all of, since he has the Nazgul, the three elven rings bearers are only known to those who bear them, not anyone else, because of Sauron. Though it was known that our last High King bore one of them, I do not know if that’s still the case since he died before my birth, and I certainly don’t know where the other two are.” She paused. “Two of the dwarf rings the Deciever has regained, four eaten or destroyed by dragons, or so it is said, and another taken from Thrain’s hand when Sauron caught up to him. That is all I know.”  

 Her voice was honest, and she had not exactly lied. Indeed, the Three were only known to those who bore them, or those who could be trusted not to reveal them. “For all I know, one or all three of the Three could have passed over the Sundering Seas with their bearers, though of course the one the High-King had would have been taken by someone else. I wouldn’t put it past those of the past to do so.”

 "You haven't told me anything I don't already know. Though, if it is true that the whereabouts of the three elven rings are only known to a select few, then that's tough for you. Because I will continue to try and get my answers even if you truly don't know."

 Sephran reopened the first cut he had made and started to clear out some of what he had stuffed inside. He placed the mouse inside and sewed the wound back up.

 "Don't worry, the mouse will suffocate eventually. But it will try to claw and bite its way back out before it does."

 He sat back a bit. Sephran truly hoped this wasn't another elf with no information to give. Sauron was starting to get impatient.

 “That’s all I know about the whereabouts of any of them,” she replied, though she flinched when she felt that mouse in her leg. She shifted, though she knew it would hurt for her, until she could squash that spot against the earth and kill the pest. That only took a few seconds, she heard the tiny bones break.

 “It’s dead.”

 Sephran frowned and attached the ropes holding her legs and arms to rings of metal attached to the dirt. "You're weren't supposed to move, little beast.

 He cut open her leg and yanked the dead mouse out. "Shall we try this again?"

 He pulled another mouth from the pouch, though he hoped she didn't kill this one as well. Sephran had only thought to bring two.

 She laughed without mirth. “I’m a wood elf. I don’t like causing creatures to duffer if I can do something about it. Doing what I did to that other one was mercy.” She did flinch as the cut opened, and to her amusement noted he hadn’t restrained her so much that she knew she couldn’t do it again.

 Once he’d put the mouse in, she merely did it again, keeping the second mouse from suffering.

 Sephran growled in frustration and punched her wound as hard as he could. "That's it! You want to keep playing games, wood beast? Well, I know a few games of my own!"

 This time he didn't reopen the wound to remove the body of the mouse and climbed out of the hole, leaving Celecuguiel alone for the moment.

 "I've already told you all I can about the rings... so why not let me leave?" She knew others would come looking for her eventually. Celecuguiel smiled to herself, despite her pained leg.

 Sephran didn't answer her, but instead cranked a lever nearby that sent the bottom of the hole down with a grinding crunch. It was actually a wooden platform covered with a thick layer of dirt. As soon as it had been lowered enough. He grabbed a shovel and started walked over to a large pile of dirt. He smiled at Celecuguiel as he put in one shovelful after another.

 "Better hold your breath, little beast."

 No, he wouldn't let her go. Nor would he kill her. Not until he'd had his fun.

  _Oh Valar._ She snorted. “You have no idea how long I can do that for.” A very long time. After all, she was an elf, not a mortal woman here.

 "And I can wait for a long time. I've dealt with elves before, little beast. It's not really about the breath. It's about the crushing weight and suffocation."

 He filled the dirt to the very top of the hole and sat down. He closed his eyes and took a little nap, then waited some more. The whole point of this was to make the elf wait, as Sephran knew that it would take a long time to actually kill her this way.

He walked away and took his dinner, eating as slowly as he could. It was actually nice to take a break once in a while. Finally, he stood up and stretched and walked back over to the hole and started to dig the little beast out.

 

Well, that certainly hadn’t been long, at least not to her. She glared at him when she was uncovered once more. The sooner Elrond sent warriors to find her the better. She knew he would. When she was found.. this man would pay.

 Sephran smiled. "Don't worry, little beast. Next time will be longer. I have to sleep sometime and would rather have you safe and snug in the dirt while I do."

 He brushed the dirt away from her and pulled out his knife. "For now, I want to see if I can find what scares you most. There has to be something you're terrified of. It's not being buried alive, that's for sure. And it's not being cut."

 He pulled out a match. "Maybe it's fire."

 “I’m a warrior if my skill with the sword didn’t tell you that,” she scoffed. “Pretty much any injury possible I’ve had, even from fire.” Burning orc arrow. As well as other things when her house had caught on fire unexpectedly. As such, though it seemed unlikely, the left eye, as well as the cheek had been badly wounded. Elrond had healed her.

 “Fire ain’t a weakness.”

 "There has to be something that frightens you, little beast. Something in that animal head of yours."

He lit the match and held it over her arm. This was a challenge now. He had to find what this beast's fears were, find something that would make her break, even for a moment.

  _You’ll have to find my family for that and they’re beyond your reach, across the Sea._ “I can tell you now… my only weakness is not a physical one.” She didn’t even flinch from the nearness of the tiny flame.

 "Too bad. This is much more interesting where I can actually do something to smash the mind of my captives. Maybe I should just hand you over to the orcs."

 He shook his head and stood up. Time for a break. Maybe he'd find a way to break her in the morning.

"Good night little beast."

 It took more effort to climb out this time, as the hole was deeper, but with the help of some of his men, he managed. He once again buried her, this time for the night. Maybe things would be better in the morning, or maybe he'd just leave her buried for a few days. He wasn't starting to tire of his little beast. A nice long break might make him feel a bit more enthusiastic.

  _Such a fool he was._ She watched him covering her again, but didn’t care overly much. She knew the Valar would protect her where they could, they would know what was going on.


	2. Where is she?

They’d been out hunting orcs once more, and were just returning to the valley, after a fortnight of hunting. Elladan blinked as he saw an elf riding carefully toward the pass through the mountains to Rivendell.  
“Hey… toren, isn’t that Eyrnmaethor? Wonder what he’s doing o..” Elladan paused when he noticed something. The warrior wasn’t sitting right in his saddle, and there seemed to be one too many weapons with him.

Elrohir looked at the ellon his brother pointed out. What was he doing here. He had ridden out just a few days ago. They wouldn't have even been able to get to Thranduil's hall, let alone come back in that amount of time.

"Something's wrong," he told his brother and urged his horse forward toward Eyrnmaethor. Something was definitely wrong.

 

Elladan nodded. “Indeed.” He rode forward quickly. “Erynmaethor!” he called, hoping to catch the younger ellon’s attention.

 

Eyrnmaethor looked up and sighed in relief when he saw the twins. Finally, he was in Rivendell. He turned his horse and rode toward them and as he did, the dried blood on his face and deep wound in his skull could be seen.

Elrohir stopped next to him and gasped. "What happened? Where are the others?"

"They..." Erynmaethor tried to think past the pounding in his head. "Dead. Crumuidir is dead. And Celecuguiel. They took her..."

 

Elladan’s eyes widened. “Orcs?” He hoped not. “We need to get you to our father, I should think. He will want to know about this.”   


Eyrnmaethor shook his head and swayed a bit at the movement. "No, not orcs. Men. Looked almost like Rangers. Black Numenorians, I think."

He started to ride again, as fast as he could, leaving the twins behind.

"Wait!" Elrohir called, as he urged his horse to follow the ellon into Imladris.

 

Elladan started after him. _Black Numenorions… what are they doing so far north?_ This did not bode well for him, and he hoped that wherever Celecuguiel was, she was alright. He knew she would stay strong for as long as she could. “My father needs to hear this more than we do.”

 

Elrohir nodded to his brother and rode next to Eyrnmaethor while they entered the valley. He guided the other horse down the correct path, as it seemed that Eyrnmaethor wasn't quite able to tell where he was going.

"Adar! Adar! Come quick!" he called out when they were close to where he knew his father to be at the moment.

 

It happened that Elrond had gone for a walk in one of the woods near the entrance the twins and Eyrnmaethor had used and he looked up, from near the path when he heard horses. He saw his sons… and then a third… Erynmaethor? _What?_ He started along the trail up the hill toward them. “Erynmaethor? Why are you back so soon?”

 

"Black Numenorions." He took a breath to try to ease the pounding in his head.

Elrorhir rode up to his father. "He said Crumuidir is dead and Celecuguiel has been taken. There isn't much time to lose. Who knows how long since this has happened."

 

“How long has it been, Erynmaethor, since you saw the others?” Elrond asked. He looked at Elladan and Elrohir. “Go find Glorfindel, tell him what is going on. I will walk down with Erynmaethor, learn what I can and join you all at the barracks.”

 

"Three?" Eyrenmaethor struggled to think. "Three days? Yes, it was three days, maybe three and a half."

"Yes Adar." Elrohir raced down the path to look for Glorfindel. He hoped they weren't too late. Enough elves had died already, including Crumuidir, who had been a friend of his. Whoever had caused this were going to pay.

 

Elrond walked swiftly beside the horse, leading him down into the valley. Three days, that wasn’t far from Imladris really. “We will find her, Erynmaethor, don’t worry, but I don’t want you to come, you’re hurt enough as it is. We have others who know the path you’d have taken as well as you do.”  


**

   
Glorfindel was indeed at the barracks, currently chewing out a warrior who had done something incredibly stupid.

 

Elrohir dismounted and rushed inside the barracks. He ignored the other other soldier and ran straight to Glorfindel.

"Glorfindel! Black Numenorions attacked the party sent to speak to Thranduil. Crumuidir is dead and Celecuguiel's been taken!"

He said all he needed to directly and at once. Now was not the time to mince words.

 

Glorfindel raised his eyebrows at that one. “What? How do you know this?”

 

"Eyrnmaethor returned just now."

Elrohir walked further into the barracks.

 

Glorfindel shook his head. “Let me guess, Elrond sent you two here to tell me.” He knew what that meant. Elrond intended on riding out. “I’ll gather some of the warriors.”

 

Elrohir nodded. "Eynmaethor just rode back in. He said it's been about three days since it all happened."

 

Glorfindel flinched. "That Deceiver just won't give up on looking for the rings. I'll bet that's why they took her, as they did your mother." Celebrian had told him, yes. He was unsure whether the twins knew.

 

Elrohir's eyes narrowed at the mention of what had happened to his mother. "One day, I hope to see him go up in flames."

 

"Aragorn will see him destroyed if he can, Elrohir," Elladan commented. "Though I cannot wait for that myself."

 

"When he falls, I hope to be there in the midst." Elrohir smiled at the thought of watching Sauron finally be pushed out of the world.

 

Glorfindel nodded. “You two may yet get that chance. If word comes that Aragorn needs help wherever he is, I’m sure you two will be sent there.”

 

"I look forward to the challenge if it comes." Elrohir patted the sword at his side.

 

"Do not take him on yourself, Elrohir. too many have died doing so."

 

"I intend to live to the end of this war," Elrohir said. "I will fight alongside my fellow warriors when the time comes, not waste my blade on a fight I cannot win."

 

Glorfindel nodded. “A wise move, considering all who died doing hat they thought they could but ended up not.”

 

"Even if there was someone alive who could take on Sauron, it would not be me. I am but a warrior."

Elrohir looked down at his sword. "But these men... I will gladly take them on."

 

“Gil-Galad and Elendil both tried,” Glorfindel replied. “That was a sorrowful day.”

 

 

**

 

Eyrenmaethor shook his head. "I'm fine. I want to. Come."

He wasn't about to stay behind while others helped find Celecuguiel. He was a warrior, not some untrained bard that sat around Imladris strumming a harp.

 

“No. You’re hurt, Eyrnmaethor. You need to recover before you can do anything more, as hard as that is for you to understand.” Elrond shook his head. “We’ll be fine.”

 

"I..." Eyrnmaethor sighed. He doubted he would be able to ride all the way back, let alone wield a weapon against the men who had taken Celecuguiel. Still, he was a warrior. Finally he nodded. "I guess. You are right."

 

Once they were close to the healers halls, Elrond stopped the horse, and held him steady so that Erynmaethor could get down. “One of the other healers will see to you, Erynmaethor. Some of us will ride out, now. To find her.” He would just gather a few supplies first before he did.

 

Erynmaethor slowly climbed down, a deep frown on his face. This wasn't where he wanted to be, not when others would be riding back. "If the healer gives me the all clear, maybe I could come with you still."

 

"I cannot let you, Eyrynmaethor, and that's me speaking as a healer, not your lord. You've taken a bad wound to your head, and I cannot see them giving you the all clear."

 

"It's not too bad," Eyrnmaethor said. "I don't think... I was even unconscious for too long. Hard to tell, though."

He took a deep breath to sooth his head.

 

Elrond shook his head. "My word is final, Erynmaethor. must I make it a command?"

 

"No, my lord," Erynmaethor finally said. "That is not necessary. I will go into see a healer."

 

Elrond nodded. “Good. I did not want to have to, Erynmaethor. I will walk with you for now, I need to gather some supplies, since I have a very good feeling she’ll be hurt.”

 

Eyrnmaethor sighed. "That's what. I'm afraid of.."

He walked toward the Healing Halls, trying not to walk too slow, though he wasn't too steady on his feet.

 

When they reached the stairs leading up to the doors, Elrond did help him up, knowing he wouldn't manage them on his own. "She'll be alright once we find her."

 

"I can't. Say the same for whoever took her."

Eyrnmaethor accepted the help and started to realise that Elrond was probably right, he wouldn't be able to join the others. He still didn't like it, though.

 

Elrond nodded grimly. “They will soon wish they never laid a hand on any of you.”

 

"They will pay. For Crumuidir. And Celeguguiel."

Eyrnmaethor struggled to push open the doors to the Healing Halls and manged to get through.

 

Elrond nodded. “Aye they will, trust me.” He helped him into one of the rooms, knowing one of the other healers would have seen them and would be on the way. “Someone will be along shortly, Erynmaethor.”

 

"Thank you." Eyrnmaethor sat down. He closed his eyes and fell into a deep rest.

 

**

 

Elrohir sighed. "I can't wait for this all to end. Sauron has been a blight on the land for far too long."

 

Elrond left a few commands with the healers before he dissapeared up to his room to get his armour on. It did not take him long to sort out all that old burgundy copper armour.

 

Elladan nodded, watching as Glorfindel went about in his barracks, telling those he wanted with them to go get their armour.

 

Elrohir was already in his armor as he and Elladan had been out hunting orcs. He stood, waiting for everyone to get ready. Now was the time to go on the hunt again, but for men this time. Men who would reap their reward for hurting elves.

 

Elrond knew the others would be at the stables by the time he got to the barracks, so that was where he went instead.

 

“Elrond’s running this attack, not me, Elladan, Elrohir,” Glorfindel told the twins as he saddled Asfaloth.

 

Elrohir nodded, as he saddled a fresh horse. His horse would need to cool down before going back into battle. "It's been a while since Adar has ridden into battle."

 

“That doesn’t meant I’ve lost any of my skill in one,” Elrond commented as he heard that one.

 

"That's not what I meant Adar," Elrohir said quickly. "I meant that this must be serious if you're coming along as well."

 

“I thought I saw something that troubled me a couple of nights ago,” Elrond replied. “I knew not what it was at the time.”

 

"What did you see?" Elrohir asked. He hoped it wasn't anything that would bode ill for Celecuguiel.

 

“IN this case I think the gender of the elf I saw that died is a good thing for Celecuguiel, for it was a male. I do not know whether it was Crumunidir or not, at least not for certain.”

Elrond swung up into the saddle.

 

Elrohir frowned. "What about Celecuguiel? See anything for her?"

He climb up onto the horse and started to put his thoughts to the men he would slay.

 

“Dirt… and two little yellow mice… not that those mice would have been able do as whoever owns them had planned, she’ll have killed them as quickly as she could.”

Elrond looked at all the warriors on their horses, for a few moments, before muttering something in Quenya. One of his fingers seemed to glow through the metal of his gauntlets for a few moments before the glow vanished.

“Now we can move more swiftly than normal.”

 

Elrohir shook his head. "None of that means anything to me."

He waited for his father to give the word to ride.

 

Elrond nodded. “My visions don’t always make too much sense at the time, no.” His horse started forward at his command, and he knew they would all follow after him. “I do however know where she is.”

 

Elrohir urged his horse forward. "How long do you think it will take us to get there with the extra speed?"

 

“A day, maybe two,” Elrond replied. He knew he couldn’t speed things up that fast that they’d get there without long at all.

 

"I hope she's okay when we find her." Elrohir leaned into his horse and continued to ride.

 

Elrond nodded. “So do i.” He knew that she would be alright so long as she wasn’t hurt as badly as Celebrian.

 

Elrohir nodded and pushed his horse to ride faster. He remained quiet, gearing up his whole mind for the fight ahead.

 

Elrond rode along the path he knew they would have taken to Mirkwood. There was no chance he would miss where she was, considering he knew where she was being held this time. With Celebrían there had not been that luck.

 Even so, they had to stop and make camp over night, but by the middle of the next day, Elrond stopped a little way from where the camp was.

“We go on foot from here… the entrance is only wide enough to ride single file, which would make up easy targets were we to do so.”

 

Elrohir swung off his horse. "Just tell us where to go Adar. I'm ready to take on these spawn of Sauron filth."

 

“Don’t forget, ion-nin that once they were descended from my brother.” Which for him was a great sorrow indeed. Sauron had spoiled that side of the family into no way to recover. Elrond had never forgotten that.

 

Elrohir sighed. "Sorry, Adar." He felt a little guilty now, though not enough to not want to slaughter as many of them as he came across.

 

Elrond sighed, before heading for the cave. He knew the others would follow.

 

Elrohir followed his father to the cave, keeping silent as the neared the cave.

Inside, Sephran sat on the ground, eating his dinner. He had kept her buried for the past few days. He hoped it would give him a bit of a break from how infuriating she was to torture and he was curious as to how being buried so long would effect her. Hopefully, it would a more interesting reaction than he'd been getting.

He'd packed down and smoothed out the dirt so he could sit directly on top of where she was buried and was now currently lounging while eating his bowl of soup.

 

 

A nod from Glorfindel had the two elves who’d brought bows removing an arrow each from their quivers before entering the cave.

Elrond led them, though as he got closer to the open area, he was still silent until he was out of there. He knew of course, since he could see Namo standing over a point, invisible to the humans, where Celecugiel was. It worried him to know he was there, however, he knew that musn’t get to him now.

“Show yourself!” he commanded loudly, once all the elves were out of the tunnel. 

 

Sephran reached for his knife and sword and stood up, while the other men, eight in all, rushed from where they were and raced at the elves. Sephran joined in the fight, though he was not too keen on facing so many elves at once. He held back a bit, while the others fought, which is what he usually did. His job was to track and catch elves. The actually fighting was best left to others.

Elrohir raced forward and fought the men that rushed at them, eyes searching for Celecuguiel as he did. He noticed Namo, but not like his father did. Instead, he saw an indistinct shape hovered nearby. 

 

Elrond’s eyes locked on Sephran, noticing that he did not seem so eager to fight while Elrond’s warriors subdued the other humans. He made his way steadily toward Sephran, eyes narrowed.

“I assume you are to blame for one of my elves going missing?” he asked sharply, tone brooking no arguments.   

 

Sephran backed away a step. He knew who this elf was and knew there was no way he could fight him. Still, he wasn't going to let him win that easily.

"Do you mean the beast I caught a few days back? I'm sorry, I cut her head off already."

Not true, but he hoped Elrond would buy it. It would tickle him for whatever time he had left if they left one of their little beasts to die without being aware.

 

“The Doomsman of the Valar wouldn’t be in this cave if she was long dead,” Elrond hissed. “We are not beasts. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s been helping her out somehow, instead of taking her with him.”

 

"Sorry little beast, but that's exactly what you are." He smiled and looked around. "I do not see any Valar here, nor do I see this elf you seek. Perhaps you just don't want to accept the truth."

 

 

Elrond glanced toward where Namo was, only to smile in amusement as in the matter of a second, Namo became quite physically visible to humans and elves, and also, reached out and touched Sephren’s shoulder.

“Right here, disgraced one. As for where your captive elf is… she’d be buried below you, wouldn’t she? Alive too.”

 

Sephran spun around and stumbled back, his eyes growing wide as he shook his head. This couldn't be happening!

"How? How did you get here?"

Elrohir stared at Namo. He'd never seen a Valar up close before and it took him a few moments to compose himself enough to think straight. Fortunately, the men had all been subdued by then. He and several other elves rushed over to the spot where Namo had been and started to dig. 

 

“I always watch over the elves… but I believe my work here’s done.” With that, Namo vanished completely back to his halls.

“Told you her was here,” Elrond said, striding toward Sephran. “Fool of a man you are.”

 

"All this for one animal?" Sephran asked. "You elves waste too much time. Why go after one soldier that didn't even have the information we seek? You should have saved your resources and left her to rot."

Elrohir and the other elves continued to dig, one grabbing the shovel nearby. He waved the elves still near the men to help him. The work went faster with the shovel, but it was still a ways down.  

 

Celecuguiel coughed a few times when the dirt over her head lessened considerably. She was glaring, and the side of her face so long ago burned in that fire was showing the old injury which the elves of Rivendell all knew about. She blinked though when she recognised Elladan and Elrohir. “Elladan! Elrohir!” She struggled a little though, cursing not for the first time, the ropes. 

“No elf is a time waster, especially not those missing.” Elrond glared at him. 

 

Elrohir and a few other elves pulled her free of the hole and placed her on the ground. He frowned at her face, as that old wound rarely showed. He scanned her body for injuries and noticed the sewn up wound on her leg. Even though he was no healer, he could tell it didn't look good.

"Are you well?" 

"You are are all wastes, little beast." Sephran turned when he heard Celecuguiel speak.

"Ah, you dug up my garbage! That's very inconsiderate, messing up this nice cave like that."

He grinned when he caught sight of her leg. He hadn't removed the dead mouse or the dirt and pebbles he had placed inside. 

 

Celecuguiel was glad when her hands and legs were free once more. The skin where the rope had been had become chaffed, and she was glad she knew who had freed them for her. Elladan. “Thank you, but no…” 

The old wound on her face had not gone away, not yet.  Carefully, and not fully trusting her own legs, though she seemed to move a bit more confidently the more steps she took, she stalked toward Sephran. 

“I am not garbage. I am not a beast. The only beast here is you!” The closer she got, the harder he’d find it to look away from her mauled face. “I told you someone would come looking for me.”

 

Sephran stared at her. _What in all Arda?_

"What happened to your face, little beast? I know for a fact that I didn't do that!"

He ignored her words. To him, her and all her kind were garbage and beasts and always would be.

Elrohir watched her go up to the only man still standing. He glared at him and his words. That man, if he could truly be called that, had the scent of several elves on him. How many of his kind had this one tortured and slaughtered? Celecuguiel was right. He was a beast. 

 

“You wondered why I was unafraid of fire? Now you see why!” 

She glared at him. Elrond smiled almost cruelly. So this was the one who had harmed her.

“Let me guess, you did what happened to our friends leg… too bad for you that won’t be killing her, whatever you’ve put in there… not so long as I live.” 

 

"Her leg? Oh, you mean my storage pack. I left some rocks, dirt and a little mouse friend of mine that she cruelly killed."

Sephran grinned and took a step closer to her. 

"I'd like those items back now." 

He rushed at Celecuguiel and attempted to jam his fingers into her wound.  

 

Elrond moved swiftly, punching the man in the stomach, hard. “You’re not getting them, you vile beast.” 

 

Sephran gasped and fell to his knees. "I am not a beast! You are."

He smiled.

"What I do is an art form. Do you know how hard it is to cut in such a way to be able to stuff things inside a wound? Or to know how to bury someone in the ground without them being crushed to death? And why do you even care? This little beast didn't mind what I did."  

 

“If I minded… I hid it too well from you,” Celecuguiel replied. 

She knew she wasn’t herself any more. While Namo had kept her from fading, she knew it would happen soon. 

“You have damaged me, though you wouldn’t see past the obvious.” Elrond struck at him again. 

 

Sephran laughed out in joy even as he was struck. "Good! I knew I hadn't lost my touch!"

So, he had hurt this beast, this impossibly strong irritating beast! A grin spread on his face, though he tried to fight it.

Elrohir reached for his sword but then put his hand down. No, he would leave this man to his father. Still, the man made boil inside. And what about Celecuguiel? Had they been too late? 

 

“A pity I don’t think you can be saved,” Elrond said, glaring down at the man. He knew what Celecuguiel had meant by her words. She was going to fade. 

“Do you really think we care about you keeping your life?” Elrond hissed, his voice a menacing one. Glorfindel walked over, and gently wrapped a supporting arm around Celecuguiel. 

 

"I... I..." Sephran swallowed. "Surely, I didn't hurt her that much! She's fine! A bit of attention to her leg and she'll be okay."

Elrohir stepped over to the group and looked at his father. "Adar, surely there's something we can do for her? A way to stop... what will happen?"

To be rescued, only to fade. Elrohir wasn't going to let this monster win.

 

“We can only try, Elrohir,” Elrond replied. Later, he’d think on it, once he’d looked at that leg. “Think again, scum.” 

 

Sephran didn't care about the elf, in fact he was glad he had actually caused some sort of reaction out of her. But he didn't want to die. So, he figured he'd have to try and act a bit contrite over what he had done.

"Look, I'm sorry. I was just doing my job. If there's anything I can do..."

"Well help you," Elrohir told Celecuguiel. "I promise."

He'd already lost one friend these past few days. A friend whose body was rotting somewhere in the wild. He didn't want to lose another, not if he could help it. 

 

"You’ve done enough to her, you fool,” Elrond replied. “I can only see one option when it comes to you.” He still had his sword in his hand too. Celecuguiel sighed, looking down at the ground, her face returning to normal. “I don’t know.”

 

Sephran paled and shook his head. "I have information, information that would be useful to you. Please, there's no need to kill me."

"I..." Elrohir didn't know what to say. If he said the wrong thing, it could make things worse. Instead, he placed a hand on her shoulder. 

 

Elrond shook his head. “No reason to leave you alive either, with all the elves you seem to have killed.”  Celecuguiel sighed. “I don’t think I’ll pull through, Elrohir.”

 

"Please, I tell you whatever you want to know."Sephran scrambled up and backed away.Elrohir closed his eyes for a moment and then turned around stalked over to Sephran. He kicked him in the chest and sent him sprawling back into the dirt. "Worthless monster!" 

 

“I have nothing to ask of a servant of Sauron. A murderer of my own people.” Elrond advanced on him, raising his sword. He knew Elrohir wouldn’t let this one get too far from him.  

 

Elrohir kicked Sephran in the head and stepped down on his chest so he couldn't get away. The man struggled and covered his head with his hands.

"Please, just listen! I... I know where they're holding other elves, elves I helped interrogate!"

He hoped they bought it. Sephran never left any elf he interrogated alive. 

 

_ Does he really think I’m going to listen to anything he says? Or that hands would stop him from killing him? _ “Last chance.” The tip of his sword touched the middle of the man’s throat. 

 

"Please, what do you want me to do, to say?"Sephran shook as the blade touched his throat.  

 

Elrond smiled cruelly. “Oh… how about… die?” He glanced at his younger son and nodded. He wouldn’t kill the man on the ground… no, he’d rather he was standing. 

 

Elrohir roughly pulled Sephran to his feet. The man shrank back. "Please, don't kill me...""How many elves asked you that very question?" Elrohir asked, shoving him toward his father. 

 

“I should think far too many.” Even as his son let go of the man, Elrond’s sword swung out, too fast to follow, and a trail of blood followed it, as Sephran’s head left his neck.  

 

Elrohir kicked the head as hard as he could and watched it sail across the cave. Sephran's body tilted and fell to the side. "May your soul forever wander in disgrace and pain." 

 

“I think we’ll leave him in that pit… unburied for some animal to come and eat,” Elrond commented. 

 

"Why even put him in the pit?" Elrohir asked. "Even that is too much a comfort for the beast. I say we just leave his body where it fell."He looked over at the head. "Maybe take the head for a trophy."

That might be going a little overboard. 

 

“None of him is coming with us, Elrohir. Orcs do that. Elves don’t.” Elrond gave the body a disgusted look before turning away, sheathing his sword as he did. “We need to get you outside, Celecuguiel. There’s a stream not far from here that would be useful.” 

 

Elrohir sighed and nodded. "Sorry, Adar."

He walked back over to his brother, stepping over the body as he did. 

 

Elrond sighed, walking over to where Celecuguiel was, knowing she needed his help for now. 

Elladan looked at his brother. “Well this went as well as we could hope.” 

 

Elrohir frowned. "No, it went horribly. We should have gotten here sooner." 

 

“Ada couldn’t have made it faster, Rohir,” Elladan replied. “Else some of these men, despite them all being dead now.. would have realised what he’s master of.” 

 

Elrohir crossed his arms. "And they're all dead. They wouldn't have been able to tell anyone!"

 

“For all we knew, had I done so, someone might have escaped, Elrohir,” Elrond replied. He helped Celecuguiel out of the cave, wincing when she came out into the light. She was almost as dirty as he’d been back during the Last Alliance. The copper hair was a muddy brown now. The green eyes did not sparkle with their usual life. And that leg…  

 

"I know Adar," Elrohir said softly. He followed Elrond out of the cave. He wanted to help his friend.

The sight of her leg made him feel a bit sick to his stomach. What did that man do to bring it to such a state? 

 

The stream in question was within sight of the cave, and it took only a few minutes for them all to get over there. Elrond helped Celecuguiel to sit down near the waters edge so he could clean her off. Really it would have been easier were she not wearing anything, but he couldn’t cause her that embarrassment. “Anyone got an empty waterskin?” 

 

Elrohir nodded and handed his over. "Take mine."

He wasn't a healer, so he didn't attempt to help his father tend to her wound.

 

“Thank you, ion-nin.” Elrond took it, and got to work. Occassionally, Celecugiel hissed as the fresh water stung her skin, but mostly, she stayed still. Elrond shook his head, now that he could see that leg wound better. 

“I’m going to have to reopen this, and see what’s in there aside from that mouse.”

Celecuguiel nodded. “thought you’d say that.” 

 

Elrohir sighed. "Can't you give her something for the pain, Adar?"

He still held out hope that they could save her and didn't think more pain would help matters. 

 

“Unlike that monster of a man? I can.” Elrond was already searching in his bag, which Glorfindel had brought over. 

 

Elrohir watched as his father took the bag. "I wish you hadn't have killed him so quickly. A little taste of his own medicine would have suited him well."

He imagined the man who had killed so many with his own wounded leg and stuffed inside the earth. Elrohir smiled at the thought. 

 

"Im a healer, ion-nin. I dont like seeing people suffering." Often clashed with the warrior part of him.

 

"I think an exception can be made for certain people, if we can even call them that." Elrohir gripped the hilt of his sword. 

 

"I think i gave him trouble enough," Celecuguiel replied. "I infuriated him with the rhings i said over the past week."

 

Elrohir nodded to her. "Still, I would have like to see him scream out in pain."  

 

"Oh i think some of the things i said back to him hurt him. Though i wasn't going to give what he wanted from me." She looked at Elrond who had removed the dead mouse by now. "Part of which was to betray you, and Frodo."

 

Elrohir smiled, though there was a sour edge to it. "Sauron and his minions will never get any information, even if he tortures every last one of us. He is going to fall, I promise you that." 

 

“He got nothing from me other than a self inflicted bad temper," Celecuguiel replied.

 

"That's because you're strong," Elrohir said. "And you're strong enough to beat what happened to you."

 

She ahook her head. "Im not sure about that."

 

"I know you are."

Elrohir wasn't about to accept that they'd done all this for nothing.  

 

"We will see what happens in the long run," she replied. 

 

"I'll make sure you make it." Elrohir looked down at the wound on her leg. "It should have been me there instead of you." If only he hadn't decided going out and killing orcs was more important. 

 

“It doesn’t matter,” Celecuguiel repled. 

 

Elrohir shook his head. "Yes it does. I'm going to do whatever I can to make sure you pull through."

He hoped this time his stubborn streak would actually be of some use. 

 

Celecuguiel wasn’t as sure. “I really don’t know how well I’ll recover.” Did not help she’d been starving for days. 

 

“We'll help you. Anything you need." Elrohir looked at his father, silently asking if it was actually possible to her her. 

 

Elrond’s eyes were slightly saddened. He knew what he’d sensed… and he hoped that something could be done.

 

Elrohir sighed. There had to be something they could do.

"We'll help you all we can. Is there anything you need right now?" 

 

“Food for one,” she replied. “I haven’t eaten or drunk anything since that night we were ambushed.” 

 

One of the elves handed over a still full water skin and Elrohir dug in his pack for some rations and gave both to Celecuguiel.

"I'm not sure how much you should eat and drink. Adar would know that better than me." 

 

“Not too much at first,” Elrond cautioned. “It might come back up. Best to drink the water first, that way if that comes back up it won’t as much of an issue.” Celecuguiel nodded. Elrond looked at Elrohir. “I need a hand now, ion-nin.. can you lift her leg up so I can bandage it?”

 

Elrohir nodded and knelt down, then carefully lifted Celecuguiel's leg off the ground. He looked a look at the wound and winced. He had avoided looking at it while his father cleaned it out, but he couldn't do so now. The thing that got him was the needlessness of the wound. This wasn't a battle wound. Even as interrogative torture, it seemed a lot of work. The whole purpose of it seemed to just because that monster thought it was fun. 

 

“Worse than it feels,” Celecuguiel said, looking at Elrohir. She knew that was not necessarily a good thing.

“That’s because of what I put in there,” Elrond said, as he started bandaging that wound. 

 

Elrohir sighed and tried to think of something to say. "Adar will be able to heal it completely."

He wondered if that was true or if she would fade before - No. That was not going to happen. 

 

Elrond nodded. “Oh that I can. Though I’ll need to check it twice a day.” 

 

"I'd like to help." Elrohir had never been much of healer and usually avoided even the smallest attempts at the craft. 

 

 Elrond raised an eyebrow. “You would? Why the sudden interest?” he wasn’t mocking, he was interested in this one. Celecuguiel swallowed some of the water. “If that water comes back up on you, Celecuguiel, there’s something I can give you to help settle your stomach.” 

 

Elrohir shrugged. "I just want to help."

He turned his attention back to Celecuguiel's leg, not really feeling like answering in the question. 

 

Elrond nodded, he knew there were likely other reasons, but he wouldn’t press him. His attention went back to Celecuguiel for a few moments, watching her intently. He knew there was every chance that she might end up throwing up, and he wanted to know if she would. 

 

Elrohir stayed where he was and watched Celecuguiel, though he knew if anything happened, he wouldn't have any idea what to do. Still, he continued to sit there as if he was actually useful. 

 

Fortunately, this time nothing came up. “Once we’re certain its not going to come back up, then you can eat, but only a little, Celecuguiel.” 

 

"Shouldn't we be getting back to Imladris?" Elrohir asked, looking around. "I don't like the idea of staying out here in the open. What if someone comes?" 

 

Elrond shook his head. “We are many, here, Elrohir. However, we will move shortly.” 

 

Elrohir was silent a moment, then nodded. "You're right, Adar."

He put his hand on his sword, just in case. 

 

“They were seven, Elrohir… we were three and I was the only one with any warning, thanks to the trees,” Celecuguiel said

 

Elrohir frowned. "I wonder if any of the other men we killed had the same herb." He shook his head. "No, if they did, they would have used it against us."

 

Glorfindel soon returned with the bag, and handed it over.

Scowling as he opened it carefully, Elrond withdrew the right herbs… “He would have crushed some of these to get that smell out.”

 

Elrond nodded. “Indeed, they would have. I’ll be willing to bet that using it against Celecuguiel was a last resort, since she clearly had the upper hand.”

“Aye, I did.” Celecuguiel sighed. “He tried to stop me, a few different ways, but I did not fall from any of them.”  


Elrohir walked over and looked at the herbs. "I wonder why he didn't use them this time. Then again, there were a lot more of us this time."

 

Not to mention I had Vilya working to defend us from anything like these, though he wouldn’t have known that,” Elrond replied. He put the herbs back in the bag. Those he would take with him…and safely destroy.

 

Elrohir glared at the herbs. If he hadn't had these, none of this would have happened. "That man was a coward."

 

Celecuguiel nodded. “Aye he was, but now no one else cam use those.”  


"Good." Elrohir wanted to crush the herbs to pulp, but he knew that wouldn't be a good idea.

He looked at Celecuguiel. "This does prove one thing."

 

“What?”  


"That you're strong," Elrohir said. "Strong enough to beat this."

 

“Elrohir…” Celecuguiel looked at the ground. She didn’t believe it herself.  


Elrohir placed a hand on her shoulder. "You are. You're going to get through this."

 

“I’m fading, Elrohir.” She did not see it as possible.  


"Come on, you're a strong warrior. You can fight this."

Elrohir clenched his fists. He wouldn't let this happen. Not when it was his fault she was even here.

 

“It’s no one’s fault but that monster’s,” she told him. “Do not blame yourself. Namo kept me alive… else I would have been in his halls once more. I would rather be in Imladris than buried as I was when it happens.”  


 

Elrohir shook his head. "You will not die!"

He clenched his fists. "And it is my fault. It should have been me buried under that dirt, not you."

 

“Elrohir!” Two startled elves spoke. Elrond and Elladan.  


Elrohir turned to them. "It's true and you know it. I should have agreed to go on that mission."

 

Elrond shook his head. “There is something far more important yet to come that I will need you both both for, Elrohir.”

 

Elrohir frowned. "I don't care if there's some far more important thing for me to do. That doesn't change anything."

 

"I know Elrohir but i had the feeling I was going to sail before Sauron fell aa [it.is](http://it.is/)," Celecuguiel replied. "So i would have left anyway."  


Elrohir shook his head. "There's still a chance. I know it."

 

"Elrohir... we cant stop it. I knew it was happening as soon as i saw Namo in that cave," Elrond said.  


Elrohir frowned. "We can stop it. We can pull her out of this."

He crossed his arms. No one was going to tell them that this was a lost cause.

 

"Only. By sending her across the Sea as i did your nana," Elrond replied,   


 

Elrohir shook his head. "We could have saved Nana too. You could have saved her."

He frowned as soon as the words left his lips. Now he really had gone too far.

"I... I didn't mean that..."

 

Elrond groaned. "No... i cannot stop anyone from.fading. physical wounds i can heal.. but a mind thats accepted the will to fade i cannot." His voice sounded pained from the memory of Celebrían leaving them. He jad sent her away so that she could live.

 

"I'm sorry, Adar." Elrohir stepped over to his father. "I didn't mean to bring up such painful memories. And you did all you can. I don't know what I was thinking."

Why had he said such a thing?

 

"That doesn't help with that pain. You have no idea how many ive lost that were close."

 

Elrohir nodded and looked away. "I'm sorry."

 

Elrond sighed. "Aside from you three i have no other family.. well aside from Elros' desendants."  


Elrohir couldn't think of what to say and instead stepped forward and embraced his father. He'd been through more pain than he could even imagine and whatever happened, he wanted to be there for him. Even if he couldn't be there for his naneth or Celecuguiel.

 

Elrond shook his head, shaking off the sadness. "I'll be alright."

 

Elrohir nodded. "Okay."

He looked back at Celecuguiel. He was still determined to find a way to help her, though he knew it wasn't really likely at all that he would succeed.

 

“I guess that the best thing we can do for now is head back to Imladris.” Elrond knew every elf was different when it came to how long they took to fade.  
“Yes, I would rather be back there…” Celecuguiel looked into the distance, in the direction Mirkwood was though..

 

Elrohir walked over to Celecuguiel and laid a hand on her shoulder. "Would you rather be in Mirkwood, your home?" Maybe if she was back in her home, she wouldn't fade. He was determined to find some way, however unlikely, to help her pull through.

 

Celecuguiel shook her head. “As much as I would have liked it… I don’t have the strength to return there…”

 

Elrohir nodded. "I understand."

He smiled sadly and stepped away, starting to think that maybe there really wasn't anything to be done.

 

"When we reach Imladris, I'll send a message via hawk," Elrond said.

 

Elrohir walked back over to the others. He wasn't sure if he should say anything more. He didn't want to upset Celecuguiel with attempts to try and get her to fight her grief. If it was to happen, then acting the way he had would only cause her and everyone else more stress.

 

“Thranduil may come for a visit when he knows,” Elrond said, helping Celecuguiel up.

 

"I hope he does." Elrohir tried to smile. Having someone from her home might cheer Celecuguiel up a bit, but... Elrohir wasn't so sure anymore it would do anything else.

 

“He will come,” Celecuguiel replied. She knew he would, he was always there when his warriors needed him.

 

"And maybe..." No. Elrohir shook his head. He had to accept that there wasn't going to be a way for her to fight fading.

 

“At least the trip back will go fast enough,” Elrond said once they reached the horses once more. He had helped Celecuguiel to walk, knowing that she was likely in a little pain.

 

Elrohir walked back and helped her as well. "Once we're back, you can rest," he said to Celecuguiel.

 

Celecuguiel nodded. “I know… and while I did rest for a bit while I was.. buried it didn’t help me much.”

 

"Don't think on that." Elrohir continued to help her along. "Soon, we will be in Imladris, away from all that happened."

 

“Who would you rather ride with, Celecuguiel?”

 

Elrohir waited for her answer, so he would know what horse to help her onto.

 

Celecuguiel seemed to be caught off guard on that question. “Oh umm..”

 

"We'll wait for you to decide," Elrohir said gently.

 

“I don’t think it really matters who I ride with. I’m going to be hurting by the time we reach home anyway.”

 

Elrohir frowned at her words. "Maybe there's a way to prevent that from happening."  


Elrohir sighed. "What if we try and elevate her leg?" He wasn't sure if that would help or make things worse, but he wanted to at least make a suggestion.

 

Elrond shook his head. “That would be too awkward on a horse.”

“Why not let Asfaloth and I take you, Celecuguiel? He’d used to that sort of thing,” Glorfindel offered.

 

Elrohir smiled. "What do you say, Celecuguiel? You'd be in less pain."

 

"I'm glad that's worked out," Elrohir said. At least she wouldn't be in as much pain.

 

Elrohir walked over to his horse and climbed up. He looked over Celecuguiel and wondered if how she would fare on the trip back and how she would fare in Imladris as well. A part of him was still convinced she would be able to beat her sorrow, but he knew it was a foolish belief.

 

"Where would you rather sit?" Glorfindel.asked.as.he walked.   
"Infront if i might?"  
"Yes." If she fainted hed be able.to.hold.onto her.

  

Elrohir watched from his horse. "Do you need any help getting her situated?" he asked Glorfindel.


	3. Fading

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A sad chapter

A month had passed since they had all returned to the Valley. Celcuguiel’s leg had become scarred where it had been cut by that vile Black Numenorian, but she had healed at least, physically. Her brown hair had faded a bit though, had become lighter. Every day, it became clearer that she was losing her battles against fading, and it was a relief, when at last, movement had been reported coming to the top of the valley wall.  

Thranduil looked down into the valley, from where he sat on his elk’s back as was normal. He had left his halls as soon as he could when the messenger bird had come, with the letter regarding Celecuguiel. Now he started down into the valley, worried that he might have arrived too late, his guards following him.

Elrohir still hadn't completely accepted the fact that she was fading and actually spent time in the library scouring over texts in his father's library, hoping to find a way. But no matter what he read or tried, nothing helped, no matter how stubborn he was. At the moment, he was riding up to where he suspected Thranduil had come at last. He hadn't waited for anyone else, but rode as soon as he heard that there was movement up above the valley. When he finally saw them through the trees, he urge his horse to move faster until he was right upon the group.

"Greetings, King Thranduil," he said, coming to a stop.

Thranduil nodded his head toward Elrohir. Having known them as elflings, he knew which one was here now. “Greetings, Elrohir.”

"You came here just in time. Celecuguiel is not doing well." Elrohir paused. "But I think there is a chance we can help her. I'm sure that we can turn the tides of her grief."He hoped that having Thranduil here would help somehow, maybe remind her of home and give her an extra push to get better.

 “I know your father would have tried all he can think of,” Thranduil replied. “Though I am surprised that she’s still here.” 

 Elrohir nodded. "It's because she's strong. And she will beat this."No elf would fade from the grief of torture, not while Elrohir could do anything to help. It would not happen, not like his mother. 

“I know your mother was as well, Elrohir. We will see if things are different or not when we get into the valley. I’ve known Celecuguiel since she was an elfling, as I have you and your brother,” Thranduil said. 

Elrohir nodded. "She'll be happy to see you." He turned his horse back toward the path leading down into the valley. 

The elk turned, following after ELrohir, though it was up to Thranduil to keep the massive creature from running into the smaller horse.

Elrohir rode his horse down the path and toward the Halls of Healing. He turned to Thranduil as they rode. "Celecuguiel's leg is healed, though there is a scar. How much did the message my father sent tell about what happened?" 

"It was detailed enough for me to know that she’s fading,” Thranduil replied. “Not to mention everything else he could tell me. Damn Sauron for causing this.”

Elrohir frowned until his lips became a thin line. "Yes, damn him. I hope he gets what's coming to him, him and all his followers." 

Thranduil sighed. “That letter also mentioned my son.”

"He went with a mission to help destroy the One Ring. Celecuguiel was on her way to tell you." Elrohir wasn't sure how much the letter had detailed what Legolas was doing, as too much detail would be dangerous to put into writing.

Thranduil nodded. “There was something about that, though Elrond was indeed careful how he wrote it.”

"Their journey is a dangerous one," Elrohir said. "But if it works, Sauron will finally fall."But if they're caught, they will probably fare worse than Celecuguiel. He chose not to share this thought with Thranduil.

Thranduil frowned at that one. "He should have fallen long go." There was still some bitterness in his people in the woods from what had happened back at the end of the Last Alliance. So many lost... for nothing it seemed, thanks to Isildur.

Elrohir gave a silent sigh. He knew how Thranduil and his people felt about Isildur and wondered how he would react to the news that Aragorn was a part of the Fellowship as well, if he didn't know already. Still, he was not going to be the one to brng it up. "We will finally be able to stop him." Hopefully. 

“We had the chance once before, Elrohir." Thranduil nudged his mount forward a bit faster.

"I am well aware of that." Elrohir shook his head. "This time will be different." 

“How can you be so certain?”

Elrohir sighed. "I can't be. But I trust those that left on this mission, including the hobbits. If there was ever a chance, it lies with them all." 

Elrohir nodded. "Ah, Bilbo. One of the hobbits is his nephew Frodo." Elrohir sighed. "The ring was actually discovered during the time you met him. He did not know what it was and brought it back to the Shire."

Thranduil flinched. “That Ring was in my grasp and I didn’t know?”

"Yes." Elrohir looked at Thranduil. "But would you have been able to do the right thing, to destroy it if you had known?"

“How long do you think my people have resisted Sauron while he’s had that fortress in my forest?” 

"A long time," Elrohir said. "I guess you of all elves would be the least tempted by it." Then again, one could never tell. The ring's pull was strong and could have played on Thranduil's belief that he would never succumb to its power. 

“Mirkwood would see that ring destroyed before even considering what it could be used for,” Thranduil replied. “We fight his shadow on a daily basis.” 

Elrohir sighed. "I'm sorry your land had to fall so far into shadow. Maybe after this is all over, it will start to heal." 

Thranduil nodded. “For now, all we can do is endure what he sends at us, and keep the orcs away from our homes.”

Elrohir winced. "I hope orcs will not decide to invade Imladris." Images of orcs defiling his home forced their way into his mind, however unlikely a scenario it was.

Thranduil shook his head. “You have one of the Three keeping them from finding here. I do not have that luck.”

"That is true." Elrohir continued down the path. "And the orcs will be too busy going after the Fellowship and starting wars with men to really bother with the elves. Your land will most likely be safe." 

Thranduil sighed. “Until that fortress is destroyed… I will not have peace in my forest.” He knew there were plans being made though. That helped. 

"It will be destroyed, along with everything Sauron has created." Elrohir would make sure he was a part of making that happen. 

“There are some things being planned when it comes to that fortress, but it’ll be a while before anything happens.” 

Elrohir nodded. "Good. Hopefully we'll all come out of this alive in the end."The building's of Rivendell came into view and Elrohir turned his horse down the path that lead to the Healing Halls.

“Some of us will, some of us wont,” Thranduil replied. “That is the way things are nowadays.” Would that he’d have the old days back, when he was only a prince. Those had been the peaceful days.

"It's been that way for so long." Elrohir had always lived under the threat of darkness. His childhood had been peaceful, but even then he knew of the darkness lurking and waiting to strike.

“Once it was not always like this, Elrohir.” Thranduil sighed as he signaled for his mount to stop. They’d reached the valley floor by now. The elk stopped, looking around curiously. This one had not been to Rivendell before.

"I know... I hope I will live to see them the way they were." Of course, they'd never truly be the same. The time of elves was past

“I doubt there will be many of us who linger on after this Age is over.”

"I am one of those who will leave," Elrohir said. "I've had enough of Middle-Earth." 

“Well that I wasn’t expecting. You won’t linger on for a while? I know Elrond wont.”  

Elrohir shook his head. "As soon as there's nothing left to do, I'm leaving. If I don't fall in battle first." 

“I hope the latter doesn’t happen,” Thranduil said, as he dismounted. 

Elrohir shrugged and dismounted as well. "It's the way of war. Though I intend to make sure I live to see the end." Maybe he would even stay for a bit, just to make sure the darkness was completely past.

Thranduil nodded. “We shall see what happens.” 

 "Just like with everything."

Elrohir stepped away from his horse and entered the halls, heading straight to the room where Celecuguiel had been housed. 

“I suppose Elrond should be told where I am?” There were some matters indeed that needed discussing. Celecuguiel was not in her room.

No, she was wandering in the gardens, and as such saw them pass. “Elrohir! Out here!”

Elrohir smiled and walked out into the gardens."Celecuguiel! How are you doing?" He asked this many times over the past months, as if he would eventually get a different answer. "Someone's come to see you."

Elrohir turned to Thranduil. "Someone informed Adar when we realised someone was entering the valley. I'll find him and let him know where you are."

Celecuguiel sighed. “No different.” Her eyes widened when she saw Thranduil.

Elrohir stood nearby, still hoping that Thranduil's presence would help her somehow. He knew he should go and inform his father, but he lingered by instead, watching

Thranduil walked over toward his young warrior. Celecuguiel bowed slightly, unable to do the full bow she knew was the norm. It hurt her to move much.

Celecuguiel looked over at Elrohir. “Don’t you have somewhere else to be, Elrohir?”

Elrohir nodded. "Yes... I do." He turned away and walked out of the room to get his father. 

Thranduil knew there was no more that could be done for his warrior. He was saddened by that, but he could tell she was relieved that he’d made it. “You know I wouldn’t have not come when I heard about you, Celecuguiel.”

Elrohir continued on his way to where he knew his father would be. He hoped Celecuguiel would have a measure of peace by talking to her king. After everything that happened, she deserved a little bit of her home.

Celecuguiel was gladdened to see Thranduil. Not just because he was her King, there was another reason, and if one looked close enough, they would also see it. As soon as Elrohir had vanished, Thranduil had sat down next to her, and had wrapped his arms around her in a gentle, hug. Not the sort one might give a lover, more one that was from a father. 

“I don’t want you to go,” Thranduil murmured.

“I don’t have the strength to stay, ada..” 

* * *

Elrond knew Thranduil was within his halls. He had seen him ride down into the valley, and wondered now, where he’d gotten to. There was something in how Celecuguiel had asked, that made Elrond thing there was more than just a King in Thranduil when it came to her. 

"Adar!" Elrohir said when he reached his father. "King Thranduil asked me to get you. He wants to discuss some things." He wondered what there was for the two to discuss. Probably something about the war, battle strategy and all that.

Elrond nodded, rising from where he’d been sitting. “I’m guessing he’s with our young friend?” 

“I know what you hoped, ion-nin. Come, let’s go and find them.” Elrond started toward the door. 

Elrohir sighed. "Yes. He didn't seem pleased about what happened, though it was hard to read his face. She seemed happy he'd come. I had hoped..."He shook his head. There was no reason to voice his stubborn ideas.

Elrohir nodded and followed his father out the door. He remained silent as they walked. 

It did not take long for Elrond to reach the doorway to the gardens where Celecuguiel and Thranduil still sat, though he paused when he saw there. _It cannot be! Can I really have been that blind?_ Dark haired like any Silvan as Celecuguiel was, it was still clear that she was indeed, Thranduil’s daughter. 

Elrohir followed his father's eyes and slowly made the same connection he did. His eyes widened but the shock quickly fell away into sorrow. _No wonder she didn't ask for any family. I always assumed hers had died._ The stubborn hope flared in his again. Maybe she really could fight this, if she had her father with her...He gritted his teeth. No. That would not happen, no matter how much he imagined it to be true. 

Celecuguiel looked up first. “I guess you two worked it out then? Why I never hinted at my own last name?”

Though of course, she wasn’t Legolas’ full sister. Thranduil looked at them both. He knew the cover story he’d claimed all those years ago in Mirkwood… it wouldn’t fool Elrond.

Elrohir tried to think of something to say, but only two words came to mind and he directed them at Thranduil.

"I'm sorry."

“I’m guessing you’re wondering how this came to be possible?” Thranduil asked.

“Yes,” Elrond said. “I know you said you adopted her… but… that seems wrong, now.” 

"Are you sure you want to talk about this now?" Elrohir asked. 

“Is there really a better time, Elrohir?” Celecuguiel asked. “Might as well admit it… Legolas is only my half-brother.”

The only thing she shared with the two Ellyn, was the blue eyes. 

Elrohir nodded. "I really don't mind. I'm just glad you have your father right now, during this..." He wasn't quite sure what to call it.

Thranduil sighed. “Back then, Celecuguiel was an unexpected surprise. Her mother did die in childbirth, though I had been unaware that she even carried an elfling of my own blood until it was close to time for her to be born.”

Elrohir paused for a moment, debating his next words. In the end, he decided to speak. "Maybe you'll have a chance to tell others. I'm sure Celecuguiel can beat this now that you're here."

Thranduil shook his head. “I can’t. I had to formally document that I had adopted her… can you imagine the chaos that would be caused if people knew the truth?” 

Celecuguiel sighed. “I knew the truth, so did Legolas. Neither of us would have told anyone the truth.”  

Elrohir nodded. "I understand. But still, you being here might give her the strength she needs to fight fading." He didn't try to dissuade himself of the idea this time.

Celecuguiel sighed. “It’s too late, Elrohir. I’m glad my adar arrived when he did…”

Elrohir shook his head. "It's not too late. You just have to fight."

“What do you think I was doing the whole time I was buried? Takes a lot out of you… if you’ve no food or water at the time,” Celecuguiel said, a little sharply.

Thranduil looked at the other two. “I do however thank you both for finding her, before it was too late, and letting me know.”

Elrohir sighed softly and looked down. "Sorry," he said softly. He looked at Thranduil and nodded.

“I know my time’s close, Elrohir,” Celecuguiel said. It was strange, she had always gotten along with the twins, even with her father’s temper.

Elrohir nodded slightly. "I understand. I... I need to go and do a few things."

He turned and walked back into the building. All his stubborn ideas were crumbling away, leaving only reality behind. And Elrohir wasn't sure if he wanted to see Celecuguiel fade.

Elrond looked at his son. “Find your brother.”

"Yes Adar." Elrohir continued to walk, his pace quickening as he went. 

* * *

 

Elladan was sparring with Glorfindel at the time.

Elrohir stopped and watched them for a moment, as if not saying anything would prevent what was going to happen. He sighed and the spell broke.

"Toren," he said, "Celecuguiel's time is..." The next word seemed to hover between his lips. "Short."

Glorfindel had been about to ask what had Elrohir’s mood so low when he saw him coming, but he flinched instead when Elrohir told them. “Go, Elladan.”

Elrohir stood there and waited for his brother. Even before the other had reached him, he turned and started to walk.

Elladan sheathed his sword as he went. “Did Thranduil reach here in time?”

"Yes." He wasn't sure if he should mention what else he and Elrond had learned.

Elladan looked at his brother. “There’s something else, yes?”

Elrohir sighed. He could trust his brother not to speak of this to anyone. "Adar and I realised something. Thranduil is her father."

Elladan raised an eyebrow. “Come again?”

"You heard me." Elrohir continued to walk. "It's not like it matters. Even with him here, she's still dying."

Elladan shook his head. “That’s a bit to take in.”

“It all is." Elrohir made it back to the Healing Halls and stepped inside, still unsure if he wanted to go back into the gardens and watch Celecuguiel fade.

Celecuguiel knew that her time was coming to an end. She had already been fading, slowly for the last few days. Now though things had sped up a bit. She felt more comfortable though, now that her adar was here.

Elrohir stood by the door leading to the gardens for a few seconds that seemed to stretch out like the slowly dispersing clouds. He sighed and stepped through. If she was going to die, then he'd be there for her.

Elladan followed his brother, staying close, in case he needed him.

It was clear that things had accelerated a bit more now. Celecuguieth was breathing slower, shallower.

Elrohir swallowed and smiled at her, but he couldn't bring himself to say anything, not even goodbye.

Celecuguiel swallowed tiredly. “I’ll be waiting to see you all again, I hope you know that…” She just wished she’d been able to see her brother one last time.

Elrohir nodded. He forced himself to speak, though he had no idea what to say. "You won't be in any pain when we meet again..."

Elrohir walked over to her, but once again found himself at a loss for words.

It was almost time for her to go.

Elrohir knelt down next to her. "Please, you don't have to go." His voice was weak, not the stubborn demanding it had been and he knew now that nothing would change what was to happen.

“I can’t stay,” Celecuguiel told him. “The strain is getting too much for me.”

Elrohir closed his eyes for a moment. "I'll miss you."

"I will miss all of you, I'll be waiting for you all when you sail." She looked up at her father now. "That _includes you_ ada…"

Elrohir glanced up at Thranduil. He hoped he would sail when the time came. He looked back down at Celecuguiel. "One day, we'll all see each other again, when the war is over and there's nothing left to be done."

 "It does not matter how long I have to wait to see you all again,” Celecuguiel said. “I am sure that it will not be so long that anyone would be forgotten.”

 Elrohir nodded. "No, it won't be that long." He sighed softly and stayed where he was.

There was a movement nearby, and all that was revealed, was Námo once more. He knew it was time.

Elrohir saw Námo, but didn't look at him. Instead he continued to look at Celecuguiel. "Do you really have to go?"

“As much as you don’t want me to go… I have to,” Celecuguiel replied.

Elrohir closed his eyes and nodded. There was nothing to stop this, no stubborn way to bring about the impossible.

Celecuguiel leaned back into her father’s arms, relaxing a little more. While she still breathed, she had closed her eyes, and her breaths were fainter now.

Elrohir grabbed her hand. "Be at peace, Celecuguiel."

Celecuguiel smiled slightly, she heard him at least, though she didn’t open her eyes again. She was happy, surrounded by her friends and held in her father’s arms.

She felt her father gently kiss her coppery hair too.

“We’ll meet again soon, iel-nin, I promise.”

Celecuguiel gave one last breath, almost wanting to say something, but she said no more, and after letting it out, breathed no more.

Elrohir bowed his head and laid a hand on Thranduil's shoulder. He kept his gaze away from Celecuguiel and her now lifeless form. A fear tears formed in his eyes and he blinked them away.

Námo said nothing this time, since there was little for him to say. She was safe with him now though, and he would make sure she’d been reborn by the time they all sailed.

Elrohir sighed as well. "I should have been me," he admitted to Thranduil. "It was my mission to take, but I was off killing orcs."

Thranduil’s gaze was calm, though he missed his daughter already. “I blame no one here, Elrohir.”

Elrohir looked at Celecuguiel's body and then quickly looked away. "This should have never happened. None of this should." _Damn Sauron! Damn those that follow him!_

“I am glad however, that she was not alone when this happened,” Thranduil added.

"No one should be alone for something like this." Elrohir sighed and stood up.

Thranduil nodded. “No matter who we are.”

Elrohir walked over to the doorway leading back inside. He closed his eyes and shook his head. He didn't know what to say anymore.


	4. Flames

Thranduil knew that his son would be dismayed to know that he had missed seeing his little sister one last time. Legolas and Celecuguiel had always been close. The only thing that Thranduil had kept that Celecuguiel had with her on a daily basis, was a small brooch that he remembered Legolas giving Celecuguiel as a coming of age present. 

It was an open iris, mostly made of amythest jewels, but there were a few small pieces of blue topaz making up the center. The whole thing was held together by slender mithril edging. He remembered that Legolas had been very pleased with the outcome when it had been delivered. As for his daughter’s weapons, they would burn and melt with her.

That was how the Silvans were, and he knew that she had always been more Silvan than Sindar. He sat, looking at the small brooch, wondering if any in Rivendell had ever wondered about it.  Thranduil sighed. Today, his daughter would be given the funeral she would have wanted, a warriors one.   

Elrohir stood nearby, thinking back to happier times when he, Celecuguiel had talk and laughed. Now those times were over, destroyed by one heartless man and his devotion to a heartless being of darkness. He ached for the day that Sauron was finally brought down, turned into an invisible spectre for people to mock. Celecuguiel's death weighed heavily on him and he planned to use to like armor, to stand tall and fight harder than he'd ever fought before. No matter what happened, Sauron would not win.

Thranduil had taken the time to tell his escort what was going on, as well as talk to Elrond. He would return home once this was over. He wore silver, as was usual when it came to more formal events. He had never expected this to be one of them.There was a pyre that had been built, and he knew Ceelecuguiel would be on it by now, with her bow and sword. Now he started out of the room he’d been staying in, to head out to it. 

As soon as he saw Thranduil, Elrohir walked over to meet him. He couldn't imagine the grief of losing a child.

"It's nearly time," he told him. "How are you holding up?"

Thranduil shook his head. "As best I can... not easy knowing she's gone like this."

Elrohir sighed. "I'm sorry you had lose her, especially this way."

“I’m only keeping one thing that was hers, and that is because Legolas would want it back. At least if I take it home, he can give it to her again, some day.”

That brooch was in his hand, fitting easily into his palm.

"I remember her wearing that," Elrorhir said. He reached out and gently touched the brooch.

"She promised my son that she'd never take it of unless she was going off on a patrol."

Elrohir sighed. "He always seemed so close to her. Now I know why."

“Yes, they grew up together. She’s only a few years younger than him. My mate was shocked when she found out about her, but she did not blame me. She had wanted a daughter, so she was quite happy to take her in.”

He’d spent the night praying that the Valar would look after his daughter, and that she’d be reunited with his mate.

Elrohir realised that Thranduil now only had one member of his family left and there was a chance that Legolas would be taken from him as well. "One day, you'll sail and be reunited with them both."

Thranduil sighed. "That cannot happen soon enough." HE had the feeling that once Sauron was gone completely... he would sail as well.

"No, it cannot." Elrohir himself had grown tired of Middle-Earth, but he knew that he would not sail until everything was settled after the war.

“Once that fortress is gone.. and Sauron too is gone, I will not linger here.” Thranduil knew he wouldn’t be able to stay on here. “Though I will have to tell Legolas about this.

They were coming out now, to where that pyre was.

"I will linger a bit, as there are things I need to do." Elrohir looked at the pyre and sighed. "But I am tired of this war and this land."

“I will only wait until I see my son again.”

Elrohir nodded. "I wonder if he will sail when you do."

"That would be up to my son.. not me."

"I guess it will depend on if he feels there are things he needs to do." Elrohir felt there were things he needed to stay in Middle-Earth for, no matter how tired he was of it.

Thranduil nodded. "I do not think he is tired of being here."

"He will most likely stay for a while." Elrohir shrugged. "Who knows? Perhaps I also will warm to Middle-Earth again, once the blight has left."

“We can only walk the path that our minds set us on,” Thranduil replied.

Elrohir nodded. "I just wish the path wasn't so littered with sorrow and death." How many other friends would he lose? What about family?

Thranduil nodded. “That’s one thing we cant control." 

Elrohir sighed. "We just have to keep on going."

Thranduil nodded. “That is easier said than done sometimes.”

Elrohir frowned. "I know, but what choice do we have?"

“We don’t really have one,” Thranduil replied. “it is the Valar who choose our paths.”

"I wish I had a different path." Elrohir couldn't see anything good coming from continuing on through the war, though he would all the same.

“We all do at times, ion-nin,” Elrond commented, he wasn’t far from them at this point. “But sometimes it changes for the better.” If he’d never left Sirion, he might not have met Celebrian.

Elrohir turned to face his father. "And sometimes it changes for the worse."

Elrond nodded slightly. “Once I thought that. Then I remembered everything I have gained since, and that was enough for me.”

Elrohir shook his head. "I don't know if there's anything I've gained."

“Think about it, Elrohir…. If my mother hadn’t hidden Elros and I… none of you would exist. I would probably be long dead. She made sure we survived." 

Elrohir sighed. "I guess, though sometimes I wonder what we've survived for."

“This isn’t helping right now, Elrond!” Thranduil looked over at him sharply. “Not the time for one of these talks.” Not when he’d lost pretty much everything. “Just count yourself a lot more fortunate than me, Elrohir.”

 "I'm so sorry." Elrohir looked at Thranduil,  "Please, forgive me." He had much more reason to grieve than Elrohir ever would.

Thranduil sighed. He knew his temper wasn’t something to trifle with at the moment. Not now 

"Are you going to be okay?" Elrohir asked. He was concerned for Thranduil.

Thranduil shook his head, non committedly. “Once I go home, yes.” Once this was all over.

Elrohir nodded. "I wish you well," he said, as he couldn't think of anything else.

Thranduil nodded. “We’ll see.” He looked at Elrond, raising an eyebrow. Time things were done!

Elrohir walked closer to the pyre. He shook his head and waited for things to begin.

Thranduil knew he wouldn’t be leaving this spot for a while, once the flames were started. He wouldn’t leave until there was nothing left of the pyre. “Lets just get this done.” He looked over where his daughter was. She was completely covered, someone had placed a sheet over her. He could see her bow and sword lying beside her.

"I think you should do the honors," Elrohir said to Thranduil. He looked over at Celecuguiel and shuddered a bit, thinking of the life that had once been there.

There was one other person that was there, aside from the twins, Glorfindel, and Elrond. Lindir.

Elrond knew why he as there, and he knew Thranduil was aware as to why. Perhaps not his sons.

“I….” Thranduil shook his head. He couldn’t.

Elrohir nodded. "I understand." He looked over at Lindir and wondered why he was there. He stepped over to his father. "I was wondering... Why is Lindir here?"

He didn't want to ask the ellon himself 

“Haven’t you noticed?” Elrond shook his head. Lindir had been the most involved with Celecuguiel… including her mate.

Elladan knew, a glance at the older twin told him so.

“After all, the only ones here are those who were close to her.”

It took Elrohir a moment to connect the dots, but when the realisation hit him, he brought a hand to his mouth. He was always so slow to figure out things. Thranduil and Lindir had both lost something he couldn't imagine, didn't want to imagine. He walked over to Lindir and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry."

Lindir sighed. “Things were going really well.. until now,” he said. “I’m leaving in the morning.”

Elrohir nodded. "I wish you well." He had a sudden sad thought, about how Lindir had missed Celecuguiel's last moments and this would be the last time he saw her before he sailed.

“I spent much of my time with her over the past few days. We didn’t want to waste any time. That’s why I’ve not been singing in the Hall of Fire lately.”

"I had wondered about that." Honestly, he had wondered very little, as he had been so wrapped up in his own pain and memories of what had happened to his mother. Now Elrohir was starting to realise that his pain was but a drop in the bucket compared to others.

“We talked about what I’d do after she finished fading. Told her I’d stick around until there was nothing left of her… and then leave for the Havens.”

"I hope you do not have to wait long to be reunited with her," Elrohir said. "And that you both have a peaceful life in Valinor."

Lindir nodded. “I don’t think they’ll make me wait too long.”

"They probably won't." Elrohir sighed. "Once again, I'm sorry about what happened."

Lindir nodded. “We at least had accepted that we’d be apart for a little while.” Time to get this over with.

"I understand." And he did. Elrohir recalled how his father waited for the time when he'd be reunited with Celebrian.

Elrond had been talking to Thranduil for a few moments, and at last, had convinced him to do what was needed.

It was clear it was hard for THranduil to walk over to the place where there was a small fire burning.

Elrohir watched him and shook his head sadly. To burn one's own child... He hoped he was never put into a similar situation.

There was nothing left to say now. Thranduil beant down for a moment to pick up a thick piece of wood, and once it was on fire, he settled it on the pyre. The fire spread quickly, now with so much fuel for the flames to consume.

Elorhir watched as the fire consumed her body. The flames danced and caused the image to shift in his minds eye, from Celecuguiel, to Celebrian, to Elladan, Arwen, Aragorn and Elrond. He saw each member of his family up on that pyre, lifeless and burning. Elrohir closed his eyes.


End file.
